Carl steffen



(No Model.)

0. STEPPEN. APPARATUS FOR REFINING LOAF SUGAR IN-MOLDS.

No. 443,549. Patented Dec. 30, 1890.

UNTTED STATES PATENT EEicE,

CARL S'lEFFEN, OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

APPARATUS FOR REFINING LOAF SUGAR IN MOLDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,549, dated December 30, 1890.

' Application filed August 10,1889- Serial No. 320,346. (No model.) 4

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CARL STEFFEN, of the city of Vienna, Austria-I-lungary, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Refining Loaf Sugar in the Molds, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the construction-of an apparatus for refining loaf or lump sugar in the molds, in which the sugar can be refined either as a congealed crystalline mass or in granular pulpy form.

The refining process is carried out by employing a saturated solution of pure sugar, (the so-called liXiviating-fluid or cleare,) and is effected in a systematic manner-that is, in such manner that the molds for the loaves or sugar to be treated or refined are connected so as to form a battery in form of a column in which the single-loaf forms are superposed or placed one above the other and snugly fittedtogether, the supply-pipe for the lixiviating or refining fluid being connected to the uppermost loaf-mold while the lowermost mold is arranged above a reservoir for receiving the spent fluid or is connected to a suitable trough or tube for leading off the same. The lixiviating or refining fluid becomes more and more impure the farther it descends down the battery or loaf molds, in consequence of the sirup which it washes off the sugar-crystals, while the sugar in the upper mold will be perfectly refined or freed from sirup when a given quantity of the hitiviating-fluid or cleare has passed through the same. As soon as the operation has reached this stage the uppermost mold is removed and the battery again completed by inserting a freshly-charged mold in the lower part of the battery. In order to produce a snug contact between the loaf-molds forming the column-like battery and to be able to remove the finished loaf with its form and insert a fresh-charged loaf-mold in the battery, I employ a hydraulic press or other suitable raising device and also a retaining device for the upper molds for facilitating the insertion of a fresh-charged mold at the lower end of the battery. As soon as the requisite quantity of lixiviatingfluid has passed through the oldest or uppermost mold of the battery the remaining fluid is pressed forward or downward in the battery, so that the crystalline mass in the uppermost form is comparatively dry before its removal.

If a hard crystalline mass is treated, the same is simply charged into the mold; but if a granularpulpy mass is used the tips of the loaf-molds can be provided with a sieve, as represented in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of the eolumm like battery or loaf-molds for treating sugar, the lowerpart being represented in elevation. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are sections of the tips of the loaf-molds with sieves of varied construction on an enlarged scale.

The loaf-molds a are provided with hermetically-closed lids or covers b,which are pressed onto the molds by clutch-bolts c, or in other suitable manner. An openingisbored through the center of each of the covers, and this opening surrounded with an annular flanged for receiving an india-rubber or other suitable packing 6, so as to produce an air-tight joint between the perforated tip of theupper mold and the cover to the next following mold, whereas the cover of the uppermost mold is packed in like manner to receive the nozzle of the supply-pipe f for the lixivating-fluid, the tip of the lowermost mold being fitted into a cup-like extension of the receiver g, which is in connection with a trough h or tube for leading off the liXiviating-fiuid from the last mold, which said fluid has become very impure from the sirup washed from the sugar-crystals in the molds. This trough h is formedin or mounted on the head-plated of a hydraulic piston k, which when raised will press the various molds into close air-tightconnection with each other. In order to exchange the molds, as is requisite in the process of systematic lixiviation, or, in other words, to be able to remove the upper mold and insert a freshly-charged mold at the lower end of the battery, each mold is provided near its apex with an annular flange Z, each of said flanges, in order to prevent the lateral movement of the molds forming the battery, being connected by bolts m to the lid of the next lower mold. These annular flanges Z rest on the pawls n, or an equivalent device, when the upper part of the battery requires to be held up, so as to enable a freshly-charged mold to be inserted at the lower end of the said hattery. The annular flanges 7 can be tixed to the molds, or the molds may be placed in the same before the said molds are employed for fortning the battery.

It granular pulpy sugar mass is to be lixiviated, a sieve o is placed in each of the molds, said sieve being ilat, Fig. 2, conical or cylindrical, Fig. 13, or of other suitable form. The compressed air for pressing or forcing the lixiviating-iluid through the molds after the supply of fluid has been cut oil is fed in through the tube or pipe p. The supplypipe f runs, preferably, through the massive upper plate a of the frame-work to the battery, of which 1' are the columns or standards, which also serve guides for the head or plate [of the hydraulic piston.

As already mentioned, it is by no means necessary that hydraulic devices be used, as any a iipropriate raising and lowering device can be employed, and it will furthermore be evident to all versed in the art that the form and details of my improved apparatus may be modified in various ways without depart ing from the nature of my invention.

The operation of my improved apparatus is as follows: As soon asthe battery has been formed by placing a number of forms or molds one above the other, so as to form a column-like battery, and the same have been pressed into snug contact with each other by the hydraulic piston or other raising device, the cock or valve to the supply-pipe for the lixiviating-fluid is opened and the said fluid pressed through the mass of sugar in the mold forming the battery. As soon as a sullicient quantity of the lixiviating-tluid, which has in passing through the battery become very impure, and which corresponds with the quantity of pure fluid required for perfectly refitting the sugar in the uppermost mold, has passed off from the lowest: mold, the supply of lixiviating-tluid is cut off and the valve of the compressed-air pipe opened, so that the compressed air will press the tluid in the molds downward and out of the battery, whereupon the molds forming the battery are lowered. The upper mold, which contains perfectly-refined sugar, is now removed, the

molds forming the battery again raised, so

that the second mold of the tirst operation will be the first mold inthe second operation, and so on, the lower mold being held up by means of its annular flange Z and the pawls or arms 21, a freshly-charged mold with unreilned sugar inserted, and the piston of the hydraulic or other device raised until. snug air-tight contact is obtained between the various members of the battery. The operation of systematic lixiviation can now be repeated, as before described.

llaving nowparticularly described my said invention and in what manner the same is to be carried into effect, what I claim is 1. in an apparatus for refining sugar, a series of separable molds having perforated tips arranged one over the otherand provided ,with perforated covers and means for pressing the latter onto the molds, a pipe for the admission of lixiviating ilnid and a pipe for compressed air, and a lifting-machine supporting the lowermost mold, substantially as set forth.

I]. In an apparatus for refining sugar in the mold, a series of separable molds having perforated tips and perforated covers arranged one above the other and connected together, devic s a for temporarily supporting the molds above the lowermost, and a lifting machine or press supporting the lowermost mold, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the series of molds a, having perforated tips and provided with perforated covers Z) and packings e, the latter being each adapted to receive the perforated tip of the mold next above, substantially as set forth.

4-. The combination of the series of molds at, having perforated tips and perforated covers and adapted to be fitted together in a vertical series, said molds being provided with sieves 0 within their tips, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CART. H'll ll l lCN.

\Yitnesses:

ANTHONY S'rnrrnx, FRANZ Komm. 

